Overseas Programs - Faculty Research Abroad

To contribute to the development and improvement of modern foreign language and area studies in the U.S. by providing opportunities for scholars to conduct research abroad.

The Fulbright-Hays FRA Fellowship Program provides grants to colleges and universities to fund fellowships for faculty members seeking to improve their area studies and foreign language skills by conducting research abroad. The program is designed to contribute to the development and improvement of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in the United States.

Institutions of higher education may apply.

A faculty member is eligible to receive an award if he or she (a)(1) Is a citizen or national of the United States; or (2) Is a permanent resident of the United States; (b) Is employed by an institution of higher education; (c) Has been engaged in teaching relevant to his or her foreign language or area studies specialization for the two years immediately preceding the date of the award; (d) Proposes research relevant to his or her modern foreign language or area specialization which is not dissertation research for a doctoral degree; and (e) Possesses sufficient foreign language skills to carry out the research project

Generally, awards are not available for projects focusing primarily on Western Europe or on countries where the United States has no diplomatic representation. This program funds fellowships through institutions of higher education (IHEs) to faculty members who propose to conduct research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies to improve their skill in languages and knowledge of the culture of the people of these countries. Funds support: travel expenses to and from the residence of the fellow and the country or countries of research, a maintenance stipend for the fellow related to his or her academic year salary, and an allowance for research-related expenses overseas such as books and photocopying, tuition, affiliation fees, local travel, and other incidental expenses. Fellowships are adjusted for duplicating support.

From 3 to 12 months.

Eligible institutions will be responsible for accepting, screening, and applying through the Department of Education's e-Application website to the International Education Programs Service (IEPS) those individual applications that meet the institution's technical and academic criteria and the program's eligibility requirements.

The following selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 663.21 and are as follows: The maximum score for all of the criteria, including the competitive preference priority is 105 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. Quality of proposed project (60 points): In determining the quality of the research project proposed by the applicant, the Secretary considers (1) The statement of the major hypotheses to be tested or questions to be examined, and the description and justification of the research methods to be used (10 points); (2) The relationship of the research to the literature on the topic and to major theoretical issues in the field, and the project's originality and importance in terms of the concerns of the discipline (10 points); (3) The preliminary research already completed or plans for research prior to going overseas, and the kinds, quality and availability of data for the research in the host country or countries (10 points); (4) The justification for overseas field research and preparations to establish appropriate and sufficient research contacts and affiliations abroad (10 points); (5) The applicant's plans to share the results of the research in progress with scholars and officials of the host country or countries and the American scholarly community (10 points); and (6) The objectives of the project regarding the sponsoring institution's plans for developing or strengthening, or both, curricula in modern foreign languages and area studies (10 points). Qualifications of the applicant (40 points): In determining the qualifications of the applicant, the Secretary considers (1) The overall strength of the applicant's academic record (teaching, research, contributions, professional association activities) (10 points); (2) The applicant's excellence as a teacher or researcher, or both, in his or her area or areas of specialization (10 points); (3) The applicant's proficiency in one or more of the languages (other than English and the applicant's native language) of the country or countries of research, and the specific measures to be taken to overcome any anticipated language barriers (15 points); and (4) The applicant's ability to conduct research in a foreign cultural context, as evidenced by the applicant's previous overseas experience, or documentation provided by the sponsoring institution, or both (5 points). Subject to change. Contact program officer for further information.

The IEPS will make the initial selection and recommendation of fellowship recipients with the advice of a panel of academic specialists in modern foreign language and area studies and comments by U.S. embassies and binational commissions in the proposed countries of research. The selections are subject to review and final approval by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB). The grants for successful scholars are made to the institutions which employ the faculty members.

180 days.